CHAPTER ONE

WHEN A LOVER IS LOST

A SECOND SUN RISES

AND FRIEND LENDS A HAND

It has been five years since the fall of Sun Li the Glorious Strategist. The empire is in a golden age that hasn't been seen since the forging of the Jade Empire under Sagacious Tein. Furious Ming has married Sun Lian and has become empire of the land. No one dares to challenge their right to ensure the prosperity of their land.

Ming was in the southeast garden adjacent to the throne room past the tombs of the great emperors of past. Meditating. It seemed like all he did was think now, inventing new styles and teaching the old ones to Master Kai at the black leopard school in the Imperial city. They had been friends since he was First Brother Kai and helped him become master by getting rid of Master Smiling Hawk. An explosion coming from the throne room interrupted his meditations as he sprang up like a crane and ran towards the throne room.

Focusing vigorously, running like a tiger after prey, he dove into the throne room. "Lian" he shouted as she was being attacked by what appeared to be Lotus assassins. He could see the leader point in his direction as several assassins rushed towards him to ensure their masters plan was carried out. The first assassin had reached him, Ming extended his leg into the oncoming mans ribs cracking them instantly. Ming rebalanced himself in his newly invented form Jade Palm. The attackers rushed furiously towards their undeniable defeat. Moving hand and foot Emperor Ming could attack many people at once. A palm to a neck. Foot to a knee. Ming shattered everything he hit. One more kick to the stomach. One more punch to the shoulder. Ming's new form was unstoppable. He looked down the men were dead or close to it. His head moved up slowly doubting his wife was still as good a fighter as she was.

Empress Lian was on her knees. The leader and her were on the throne three rooms ahead. Ming ran out toward them. The mans sword raised. Ming had two more rooms to run through. The mans sword swung. Ming was bordering on the last room. His Heavenly Lily screamed as the blood spewed from her face. She collapsed silently. Ming was there. Not breathing. Not thinking. Not moving. Could his Lily be dead. Her spirit had not yet left her body but she had no sign of life. He looked up the stairs at the man.

"It is a shame she couldn't see eye to eye with me." His face was covered by hood except his smile. The smile of a dashing young rouge.

"I will kill you-" Ming was cut short by and explosion that hurled him backwards. He looked up the were gone.

The mans voice mad itself heard again, "You should leave this palace now or you will never be able to." His words followed by laughter as the faded away out the throne room.

Ming ran again like a tiger. Towards the hanger he darted. The large stair sets would take far to long so he simply hurdled them, hitting the ground rolling forward and running all over again. Ten minutes ago he had been in a garden meditating and now his wife was dead. What did he mean I would never leave? What would he want with my Lily? Who was it? Ming asked himself running through the door into the small hanger were they had landed when he defeated his old master.

Explosions rang out through out the palace. Ming had no time he jumped into the Marvelous Dragonfly and flew out of the palace. He was away. He turned and saw fire shooting out of the floating palace. It stared to fall towards the earth, faster and faster. Fire continuously poured out of the palace. In a grand finale the palace crashed into the ground shacking the whole of the empire and the heavens themselves. Fires raged outward in a mighty explosion that looked like a second sun, a red sun rising up from outside the Imperial city. Thousands of people that were in the palace were now dead, and for what?

Ming landed his flyer outside the black leopard school and rushed in to tell Master Kai what had happened.

A day passed. The palace still burned

"Ming." Kai inquired

"Yea"

"I…I want to help you old friend."

"Yea?"

"Actually I have already done something for you. I have a list of names."

"Names! That is all you have what good are names."

"Calm down my old friend. Names of the members of an organization called Rage of the Dragon. They seek to destroy this golden age by means of frightening everybody into submitting to their will. Here are the top eleven members."

"I.. I am sorry Kai I spoke out of anger. I could have helped her. After fighting the group of assassins I stopped and looked at them not forward at her. I could've gotten there earlier. If I wasn't meditating. If I was faster, only if I was faster."

"But you weren't, asking yourself if doesn't help anybody, especially your Empress."

"Your right. I am glad we are friends Kai. There is much wisdom in your words and fury in my fists. Kai come with me, fight this Rage of the Dragon with me. We would be unstoppable."

"This is your fight Ming not mine. I belong here with my students."

"Kai I beg of you, I can not do this alone."

"Teach me one of your new styles and I will see you to find Dawn Star and Sky."

"Agreed. Which do you desire to learn? A martial, a support, a magic?"

"I wish to learn a martial style. The Jade Palm"
Ming bowed and lead by Kai exited the small building through the front. Many students stopped their sparring and meditations to look at the emperor spar with their master. One sun set. One sun stayed raging illuminating the Imperial City. Ming raised his foot smashing it into the ground reducing the stone walkway to ruble. With his battle cry Ming leapt through the air behind Kai smoothly thrusting his palm into his spine. Kai tried to learn as they continuously sparred. Ming was faster then the oceans storms. Impossible to block. Nothing could stop Ming. A kick to the jaw. While a hit to the knee. Kai collapsed.

"Kai, I hoped you understand what I did and how it was achieved. It is now to leave."

Kai, still out of breath, got off the ground. After a brief conversation with First Brother Twin Moons he left through the back towards the Dragonfly. The smooth tall grass trickled across Ming's bare legs. They got into the dragonfly. Flying away from the second sun.

Disclaimer: Yeah I don't own jade empire or the characters but I do own my story.

AN: Please Review… I think I know where I'm going with this. Maybe. And its going to slow down considerably next few chapters.